Episode 95: Translating nutrition research into action for cardiovascular health with Dr. Meaghan Kavanagh

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. In this episode we are joined by Dr. Meaghan Kavanagh to chat about diet-disease relationships and translating nutrition knowledge into action for cardiovascular health.Meaghan is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital, mentored by Dr. John Sievenpiper. Her research explores diet-chronic disease relationships through clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and epidemiology. Recipient of the CIHR-MSFSS award, she visited the CDC in Atlanta as a Guest Researcher to investigate the Portfolio Diet's cardiovascular benefits in the NHANES program.Meaghan is dedicated to translating her research into practical tools, including the PortfolioDiet.app, developed for cardiovascular disease prevention.Before her Ph.D., Meaghan was a project manager at the University of Toronto (2016-2020), researching dietary patterns and disease prevention with Dr. David Jenkins, and Clinical Coordinator for the STOP Sugars NOW Trial at St. Michael’s Hospital (2019-2020) with Dr. John Sievenpiper. She completed her M.Sc. at the University of Guelph with Drs. Lindsay Robinson and Amanda Wright and her B.Sc. thesis with Dr. Alison Duncan.In 2025, Meaghan will continue as a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Frank Hu at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Resources:Global Burden of DiseaseGlobal Burden of Disease and Risk Factors, Lancet 2024Glenn A, et al., AJCN 2024Portfolio Diet Meta-Analysis BMJ Open - newspaper reliable reportingRepresentation of statins in the British newsprint media Dr. Meaghan Kavanagh’s Socials:Twitter: @MeaghanKavanag1 LinkedInGoogle Scholar ResearchGatePlant-Based Canada’s Socials:Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)X / Twitter @PBC_orgBonus Content from University of GuelphDo you want to take your plant-based knowledge to the next level? Stay tuned for a special promo code!The online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through Open Learning and Educational Support at the University of Guelph has everything you need to know about implementing a sustainable plant-based diet.Each course is just four weeks long and will guide you through essential topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home.As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a communSupport the show